Avalanches can occur on any slope given the right conditions.

The highest number of fatalities occurs in January, February and March, when the snowfall amounts are highest in most mountain areas. A significant number of deaths occur in May and June, demonstrating the hidden danger behind spring snows and the melting season that catches many re-creationists off-guard. During the summer months, it is often climbers who are caught in avalanches.

Mountains attract climbers, skiers and tourists who scramble up and down the slopes, hoping to conquer peaks, each in their own way. Each year, avalanches claim more than 150 lives worldwide, a number that has been increasing over the past few decades. Thousands more are caught in avalanches, partly buried or injured.